Luau theme plays well at Yampa Valley Golf Course

Julie Grobe watches her putt near the cup on the ninth green at Yampa Valley Golf Course while teammates Chuck Grobe, left, and Ray and Brenda Parfrey try to follow the line for their upcoming shots Friday night at the TGIF Hawaiian Luau Scramble.

Photo by Nate Waggenspack

Dave Prince, from left, Kathy Havrila, Rick Landry and Nancy Smith were decked out — including their cart — for the TGIF Hawaiian Luau Scramble on Friday at Yampa Valley Golf Course.

Golfers celebrated the start of the weekend with a fun round of nine holes and a pig roast to follow Friday night at Yampa Valley Golf Course.

Seventy-five golfers took part in the TGIF Hawaiian Luau Scramble on Friday evening, combining a laid-back theme with a leisurely round of golf. Although no team took its rounds too seriously instead of relaxing and enjoying one another’s company, the foursome of Kelby Virden, Brady Virden, Callie Papalas and Amber Nicholson came away with the lowest score, shooting 32 over the nine holes.

The other two paying positions were claimed by the top two net scores, which went to Blake Harold, Cassidy Mikesell, Walker Lloyd and Zac Phillips in first and Gary Baysinger, Carolyn Baysinger, Chuck Sandberg and Patty Ann Sandberg in second.

The luau is part of the TGIF rounds the golf course hosts every few weeks to show off the course and create a fun atmosphere rather than a competitive one, head golf pro David Hardison said.

“We just want to get people out here,” Hardison said. “It’s about getting the exposure for the course.”

This year’s luau was a rousing success, with Don Smith, president of the golf course's board, saying it was one of the largest TGIFs ever put on.

“This may have been the biggest we’ve had since we started doing TGIF,” Smith said. “A lot of that is thanks to David and (wife) Donna. They’re out here, and the staff is having a great time, they’re having a great time, so we (the golfers) have a great time.”

If fun was the objective, then the course nailed it Friday night with golfers decked out in their best Hawaiian gear, a pig roast and drinks out of coconut cups.

“We had a blast,” said Mike Gush, whose team — which included Cathy Gush and Brenda and Gary Anderson — shot a 35 on the night. “This one’s all about having fun. There’s no pressure, so I was shooting well, anyway.”